We'll have Geoff Baker Live! coming up at 6 p.m.

Some of you are looking for some good news. Well, here's some. Cliff Lee threw another bullpen session today and felt so strong, the Mariners are considering maybe limiting him to one simulated game and then one rehabilitation assignment.

"He looked outstanding,'' Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said. "He was supposed to throw between 50 and 55 pitches and he ended up throwing I think 63.''

Lee's simulated game is scheduled for Friday.

"We're going to look at a simulated game that we had scheduled for two or three innings and maybe see if we can't bump that up to three or four because he feels so good,'' Wakamatsu said.

At which point, I asked him whether the team would consider shortening the number of simulated games Lee would pitch and theoretically have him ready to return this month.

"Yeah, that's our tendency right now...that's a possibility,'' Wakamatsu said.

Now, a lot of that will depend on Lee's suspension as well. There's a hearing on that taking place tomorrow. Lee is suspended five games as of right now. If he can't get that reduced, then there is no chance he'd return this month.

If he can get it whittled down, though, then he could be back the final week of April. Right now, the plan is to have him back May 1 or May 2 if he goes through a pair of simulated games.

The team is also pleased with progress made by Erik Bedard, who will throw an extended bullpen session of about 60 pitches on Friday. If he keeps looking strong, the team might also look to bump up his projected return from the target date of final week in May, where they are currently aiming.

"I think the same thing might happen with him, where if everything goes well, we'd keep trying to expidite it with him, within reason,'' Wakamatsu said.

By the way, Wakamatsu and his staff held a closed door team meeting with players about an hour ago. Wakamatsu wanted to reiterate that the season is still young and that players have to stop putting so much individual pressure on themselves to carry the team.

Mike Sweeney, as expected, is in tonight's lineup against the left hander. Rob Johnson will catch consecutive games for the first time this season with Doug Fister on the mound.

The lineup:

OAKLAND

Rajai Davis CF
Daric Barton 1B
Ryan Sweeney RF
Kevin Kouzmanoff 3B
Kurt Suzuki C
Eric Chavez DH
Adam Rosales 2B
Travis Buck LF
Cliff Pennington SS

Brett Anderson LHP

MARINERS

Ichiro RF
Chone Figgins 2B
Franklin Gutierrez CF
Jose Lopez 3B
Mike Sweeney DH
Milton Bradley LF
Casey Kotchman 1B
Rob Johnson C
Jack Wilson SS

Doug Fister RHP